Why not me again? Abhimanyu Easwaran’s India dream persists despite repeated slander

Abhimanyu Easwaran knows what it’s like to be close to the Indian dressing room without getting a chance to step out in the national colours. He has scored more than 8,600 runs in domestic first-class cricket, captained Bengal and captained India A. He has been part of India’s senior Test teams, but the debut he has been working towards for years remains elusive.

At 31, Easwaran is back where he spent most of his career, leading Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and struggling to make his bat do the talking. His fighting 56 against Services at Palam on Sunday was another reminder of his ability to hold an innings together even when wickets were falling around him. But it’s what keeps him going, despite another season that has passed without an India invite, that offers a glimpse into the mindset of a cricketer.

“Ever since I started playing cricket, it has been my dream to play for the country. Before that I always wanted to play for Bengal because it is the root and I feel privileged to lead the state team,” Easwaran said after the first day’s match against Services.

His journey has brought him within touching distance of the senior team. He was part of the Indian Test squad for the 2024-25 tour of Australia and a tour of England in 2025, but did not get the opportunity to debut on either tour.

The latest omissions only added to the uncertainty. Easwaran featured in the Duleep Trophy earlier this year but was not included in the India A squad for the series against Australia A in Puducherry or the upcoming multi-day tour of New Zealand.

Is it hard to handle the disappointment when lineups are announced without his name? Easwaran doesn’t pretend the thought never crosses his mind.

The dream of playing for India is still there, says Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran after a fighting fifty on a hard pitch in Palam vs Services. @iamnotakshayr reports… #RanjiTrophy India Today Sports (@ITGDsports) October 18, 2026

“I’m fine with it; it’s just a part of life and there’s not much to say. You’ll learn in time. When you get kicked off the team, you’re like ‘why not me again?’ come up, but you’ll get used to it,” he said.

“The challenge is always to come in and do well for whatever team you play for.

WANT TO WIN RANJI FOR BENGAL: EASWARAN

Easwaran is focused on not only staying in contention for India but also achieving something tangible with Bengal. The side came close to winning the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy by finishing runners-up to Saurashtra. After taking Bengal through various phases of his career, he wants to go one step further.

“The aim is to win tournaments, we came close to winning the Ranji Trophy. So the aim is also to win the Ranji Trophy,” he said.

It’s a reminder that his domestic commitments are not just a holding pattern while he waits for an international opportunity.

“I’m enjoying it at the moment. I’m enjoying my time in the middle,” he added.

His start to the Ranji Trophy season reflects this commitment. Bengal started their campaign with a nine-wicket win over Delhi in Kalyani. Mohammed Shami’s four-wicket haul helped Delhi to 240 on the opening day. Bengal replied with 429, with centuries from Sudip Kumar Gharami and Abhishek Porel putting the hosts in a commanding position. Delhi made 277 in their second innings, leaving Bengal a target of 89. Easwaran remained unbeaten on 34 as Bengal completed the chase in 15.3 overs, with Ankur Paul scoring 38.

Against the Services, the conditions of his task were particularly demanding. Bengal were bowled out for 184 in 54 overs on a dry pitch that offered help to the bowlers. Easwaran scored 56 off 106 balls, hitting five boundaries and adding 67 runs for the second wicket with Gharami making 38. Once that stand was broken, Bengal lost wickets in bunches, with left-armer Arjun Sharma dismissing Easwaran.

The skipper felt that Bengal had let the opportunity slip away as he believed that one more substantial partnership could have made them a more competitive unit.

“It is a bit of a dry wicket which offers some help to the bowlers. Scoring runs and surviving are quite challenging,” he said. “We could have scored a bit more and got closer to 225, about 40 runs down, but Services bowled well to come back.

His approach to the innings was straightforward: stick to the plan and take each ball as it came.

“I was just trying to stick to the game plan. The balls were doing enough where as a batsman you know you’re going to be beaten at times and the balls are going to keep hitting you, but my job was to focus on ball by ball and execute my long-term plan,” he said.

– The end